I am sure that the families involved in the beating of four unarmed men must feel a small sense of relief that four of the policemen involved will be fired. I don’t think that solves the problem, but it shows that there is a serious problem within many police departments across the United States. Philadelphia’s police commissioner Charles Ramsey said four others disciplined for their roles in the beatings of three shooting suspects, an encounter that was captured on videotape and drew widespread outrage. The one thing that I am glad happened was that this incident was videotaped by a neutral third party–a news helicopter–so no-one could fudge the details or accuse these men wrongfully. The district attorney should review this matter for criminal prosecution. It seems there is a feeling that cops feel that they have a blank check to do whatever they want to innocent people and walk away unscathed. This is problematic across the United States and that needs to be fixed. There is a sort of brotherhood, if you will, that no-one dares to cross. This needs to be fixed at the federal level.
Another eight officers who had physical contact with the suspects will undergo additional training on the department’s policies concerning the use of force, Commissioner Charles Ramsey said. He said the department made the disciplinary decisions after reviewing frames from enhanced tape of a video shot by a television news helicopter on May 5. The video, shot by WTXF-TV, shows the suspects being pulled from their car on the side of the road and groups of officers kicking, punching and beating the men. A total of 19 officers — 18 city police and one transit officer — were involved.
Ramsey said that two of the officers being fired are relatively new to the force and can be terminated immediately, while two others are being suspended without pay for 30 days with intent to dismiss. Three other officers are being suspended and one sergeant is being demoted. A criminal investigation is continuing.
Police said they had been pursuing the car in connection with a triple shooting. The three men — Brian Hall, 23, Pete Hopkins, 19, and Dwayne Dyches, 24, all of Philadelphia — have been charged with attempted murder and related counts stemming from the shooting. Their attorneys have said they had nothing to do with it. All three of the shooting suspects are black. Ramsey has denied allegations that the beatings were racially motivated and said at least one officer involved is black. It was racially motivated to me because policemen target blacks. You see a car load of black men and they automatically assumed that these men were engaged in criminal behavior. Why are these men charged with attempted murder when, reports that said otherwise? Why aren’t the cops being charged right away? The presumption is that they can do no wrong, but the television videotape shows otherwise. It seems that the law is on their sides, but not the victims, who have been charged. This case will be watched very carefully on many fronts because the police brutality must stop. Too many black men are being accused of crimes that they did not commit and too many are falling victim to police brutality and some have lost their lives–unarmed and innocent. The police cannot continue to feel that they have a blank check to treat people in any manner they choose. Just my thoughts, you be the judge….
Filed under: Brian Hall, Dwayne Dyches, Mayor Nutter, Pete Hopkins, Philadelphia, police brutality
Black Political Thought 